Twice Upon A Time
by May 16 writer
Summary: In the old west two stories are told: One about is a spitfire girl on the run with long hair as blue as a corn flower the other is about a roguish boy who becomes outlaw number one for carrying stolen magic beans. Both have bounties on their heads and a score to settle with the notorious tyrant Sartana. A western fairy tale told from two point of views.
1. Chapter 1

Frida pov.

Sartana owns pretty much all the land here not to mention all the gold and salt mines making her stinkin rich. She's also one of the most feared people in Miracle City because she's trained in the art of voodoo. She once turned a man into a snail and stepped on him. Oh and um there's one more thing you should know about her. She's my mom. But I'm sure I'm adopted or something because well she's...she's literally a skeleton with no skin or organs so how she was able to give birth to a blue haired baby is beyond me. Yes you heard correct I have blue hair, why you ask? I have no idea one of life's great mysteries I expect. Anyway not only is my hair blue but for some reason Mom won't let me cut it in fact she used voodoo to make sure that my hair could never be cut by anyone except her. So my hair is ridiculously long, it covers my back and trails a little. Try putting a comb through that. That aside it's not exactly easy being the daughter of an dictator sure I live in a mansion and I'm given everything I want, well almost everything. I'm not allowed to leave the mansion and I'm not allowed to have friends so you can imagine how lonely it was growing up.

The closest thing I get to the outside world is Mom's garden. She loves that garden and I don't mean love it as in it's a hobby I'm talking about she looooves it. She talks to the plants, goes ballistic if someone touches her plants. Creepy but it's how she is. According to her I'm the only thing she loves more than that garden but I doubt it. Anyway the entire garden was protected by a twenty foot wall made of solid concrete. For as long as I can remember I've always wondered what was over the wall. I remembered the first time I asked her that.

I was six years old and I was climbing one of the trees in the garden when a got a glimpse of a small house on the other side. Being a klutz I fell out of the tree and while Mom was fixing up my skinned knee I said.

"Mom what's over the wall?"

"Nothing dear." She said. "Just barren land."

"But I saw a house."

"That's just my pesky neighbors."

"We have neighbors? Hey maybe they have kids I can make friends with. Can I go-"

"No!" She snapped.

"Why not?'

"Because I said so and that should be enough."

"But-"

"I said no! Now put it out of your mind and don't ask again or I'll forbid you from going into my garden."

So obviously I dropped the subject because I couldn't risk losing the only freedom I had. I never asked again but it never stopped my curiosity. Today was my twelfth birthday and as expected I got a gift from Mom which was a jump rope this year and after that I spent the whole day by myself. I sat in the garden on my swing and began to sing my favorite song. I had known it for as long as I can remember and it usually made me happy when i was sad, lonely, or bored.

 _"My dearest one, my darling dear I know that you must go._

 _So while you are away my love, my pain will only grow._

 _My tears will fall and cries shall break each day while we're apart,_

 _but thought of you and your return is safe inside my heart._

 _I'll wait for months, I'll wait for years, I'll wait for eternity._

 _Because I know one day my love you will return to me."_

I'm not sure where I heard it because Mom wasn't really a good singer so I figured I made it up myself. One of the weird things my mind does to me another thing that it does to me is that every year on my birthday I would have this weird dream. It was about a family living in a small house. There were five members: A large man, a petite woman, two little girls about maybe three or four years old, and a baby. They were all laughing and singing and all that happy stuff but I didn't know why I always had those dreams. But the one I had this year was different, this time Mom was there and so were her minions. They attacked the man and the woman and Mom ripped the baby from it's mother's arms and took it away. The father was held down and beaten by the men while the mother started screaming and crying.

As I skipped rope with my gift I noticed that there was a reap and garden sheers nearby. Looking at them I thought of an idea, I took the shears and cut the end of my jump rope and tied the the reap to it. With hair as long as mine I had learned a thing or two about knots. One it was good and tight I had made my very own grappling hook. I threw it up several times and several times it fell down until finally it hooked onto the top of the wall. Once I was sure that it was safe I climbed up the rope until I finally reached the top. There was plenty of land but there were also people working on it. Now I knew that Mom had workers but they looked more like slaves to me because they were all dirty and wearing tattered clothes. Some of them were in chains and being beaten.

I decided to investigate so climbed down on the other side and began to look around. I saw two older boys playing and decided to introduce myself, maybe make some friends.

"Hi." I called out smiling but for some reason they all gave me dirty looks. "Can I play?"

"Why don't you go back to your mansion?" One boy snapped.

"I'm sorry did I do something wrong?"

"Yeah your mom makes us work everyday while you live like some royal!" Another said.

"She does?"

"Yes dummy! Where have you been?!"

"Nice hair! Does it hurt if we pull it?" He said tugging it hard.

"Ow!" I said. "Cut it out! Stop it!"

But he didn't, soon all of them were pulling and yanking on my braids. Then out of no where a clump of mud hit the first boy in the face.

"Hey leave her alone!" The mud that had been thrown by a boy my own age. He looked just as dirty and beaten up as the others. He had dark brown hair and a slightly smashed up face.

"Get lost Manuel!" The one who had pulled my hair said. "Or we'll break your teeth like we did last time!"

"Joke's on you those were baby teeth so they'll grow back!"

"Oh yeah? What about permanent teeth." He said cracking his knuckles.

The boy called Manuel took a handful of dirt and sand then threw it into their eyes.

"Ahh!" They shouted. "You little rat!"

"Hurry come with me!" Next thing I knew he grabbed my hand and pulled me along as we ran from them. Then we ducked into a barrel and hid until they were gone.

"Works every time." He chuckled.

"Thank you for stopping them." I said.

"No problem but you better avoid them because they'll hit girls."

"Seems like they hate me."

"Just ignore them, their brains are the size of beans. So what's someone like you doing out here?"

"Well I wanted to see if I could make friends."

"Hate to break it to you but not a lot of people around here are friendly."

"Why is that?"

"Because we spend pretty much everyday working for the pain in the neck."

"Sartana?"

"You know her?"

"She's my mom."

"You're joking."

"No."

"But she's...Ewww and you're not."

"I think I'm adopted."

"So what's with the hair?"

"Don't ask."

"Hey Rivera boy!" I heard a man shout. "Get over here now!"

"Coming." Manuel said. "I'll be right back, wait here."

He left, he sure was nice. Made me wonder if we were friends. Sadly however I would never know because of those henchmen spotted me. Quickly I ran, if Mom knew I went over the wall I'd be in trouble big time. Praise God I was such a good runner and that Mom's men were so stupid so I lost them but in my haste to get away I accidentally bumped into a woman carrying several buckets of water.

"Oh dear." She said at the spilled water.

"Oh sorry." I said.

"That's alright." She said.

"I can help you get more if you want."

She was a frail looking woman with brown hair and blue eyes. She kind of reminded me of someone but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Thank you." She said. "But really you should just go on I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

She picked up her buckets and started to walk away.

"Yes but thank you for kindness um...I'm sorry young lady but what's your name."

"Frida ma'am."

At the very moment those words left my mouth she dropped her bucket and turned around. She looked at me like she had seen a ghost, tears were starting fill her eyes.

"F...Frida?" She raised a shakey hand to my cheek and touched it so softly that it was as if I would break if she didn't. "Oh my God...You look so beautiful."

"I'm sorry do I know you?"

"She...She never told you did she?"

"Told me what?"

"Frida...My name is Carmela Suarez, I'm your mother."

At that moment my heart stopped and my face lost color but then again it shouldn't come to a complete shock to me after all I always suspected that I wasn't biologically Sartana's kid but it was so weird when the suspicions were confirmed.

"You're my what?"

"I'm your mother. Do you remember the song I used to sing to you?

 _I'll wait for months, I'll wait for years, I'll wait for eternity._

 _Because I know one day my love you will return to me."_

Sweet merciful father of all that is good and holy she was my mother but if she was my mother then how did I end up with Sartana?

"I...I don't understand."

"It's my fault." She sobbed. "I craved corn flowers so I made your father steal them and Sartana made us pay the ultimate price!"

Corn flowers? What was she talking about? But before I could ask her another thing I felt El Oso Sartana's big ape of a body guard pick me up. My mother grabbed El Oso's arm.

"No!" She begged tearfully. "Don't take her! She's my baby! Don't take my baby again!"

Again? What did she mean again? Then I watched in horror as El Oso knocked her to the ground then dragged me back inside where Sartana waited for me.

"What were you doing over the wall?!" She screeched. "I told you never to go over there!"

"Who's Carmela?" I asked ignoring her question. She looked at me like she had just been caught in the act of murder. "Is she my mother?"

"Who told you that?"

"She did! Is she?"

She didn't anwser for about five minutes.

"Yes."

"Did you take me from her?"

It took her even longer to answer that one.

"When your parents were my neighbors." She said. "Your mother was pregnant with you when they first moved here and she had developed an unusual appetite for my corn flowers. So every night your father snuck into my garden and stole some of them this went on for awhile until one night I caught him. I would've killed him on the spot but he got on his knees and begged me not to, promising me anything if I spared his miserable life."

Typical, Sartana and her twisted deals.

"So I told him alright I want the infant in your wife's belly. Naturally after hearing my terms he tried to take back what he said I told him it was too late because he had already given me his word so it was a done deal. When you were born you your parents thought they could be sneaky and hide you from me but when you were a year old I heard you crying one night and I took what was mine. I raised you and over the years I learned that due to the hundreds of corn flowers your mother ate you had blue hair."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"You're...You're sick! Twisted! Insane!"

"Is that any way to talk to your mother?"

"You aren't my mother!"

"Apologize this instant! Or you will regret it!"

"No!"

Dumb move because the next thing I she threw dust in my face and when I woke up I was in a tower. There were no doors just one window and the tower was fifty feet tall so I couldn't jump. I was trapped.


	2. Chapter 2

Manny pov.

Miracle City, a town that's as old as God. It's a little dry and there's a few criminals here and there, okay it's a lot of criminals but aside from that it's not a bad place to live. That is if you're not living as a slave or in poverty. Miracle City used to be a peaceful land but then Sartana and her army of monstrous goons came here from Calavera which is a place I'd rather not talk about but let's just say if there was a Hell on earth it would be called Calavera. All she did was enslave other people and rob others til they had nothing. My family and I are as poor as dirt, my father worked as a blacksmith but due to Sartana's impossible taxes his work didn't mean anything.

Then came that winter when I was six and I had contracted some unknown illness that I would die from. Sartana came in one day with an offer my father couldn't refuse. A life of servitude to the giant El Mal Verde in exchange for medicine needed to save my life. Apparently she had worked out some bargain with that giant. My father knew a life working for him would be a fate worse than death but he valued my life over misery. So he took the deal and if he dare to try to run away from El Mal Verde then she'd kill me.

I never saw my father again after that and I blamed myself. Poor Mom broke down after Dad left. She tried to stay strong but she just couldn't. Six years went by and we only got more poor from then on. We only had three things of value: A stupid parrot that belong to my late grandfather, a donkey we used to plow our fields, and my pet and best friend in whole world Zebra Donkey. A female zebra that Sartana owned had snuck out of the stables and spent the night with our donkey. Couple weeks later zebra donkey was born and well Sartana didn't want him so he was mine.

Mom worked as a seamstress and as times grew tougher I realized that with Dad gone I had to be the man of the house. So I taught myself how to make weaponry and took up Dad's job as a blacksmith. I was nine when I started working and I didn't get paid enough so I had to resort to other ways. I had to steal, Mom didn't like it, she wanted me to do honest work. It made her so sad and disappointed when she found out I was stealing. I didn't want to hurt her but we were starving what else could I do.

One day when I was about twelve and I was working...

"Why don't you go back to your mansion?"

I knew that voice, local poor boys Billy and Che. Like me they stole from other people but the had no morals. I only stole from people who had more than enough but they stole from poor than they were and they beat up the people they stole from and by people I mean the ones smaller and weaker than they are. The cowards! They would rough me up a bit sometimes once they took out some of my teeth but they were baby teeth so I didn't care.

I wondered what got them so upset this time. I saw that they were harassing a girl. A girl! I don't believe it! How cowardly and immoral were they? And she wasn't doing anything wrong yet they felt the need to bully her. I watched them pull on her braided pigtails, man they were long and blue. What kind of hair dresser does she see? But that wasn't important.

I took a clump of mud and flung it right a Billy's fat mouth.

"Hey leave her alone!" I shouted.

"Get lost Manuel!" I cringed when he said my name. I preferred to be called Manny, the only person allowed to call me that were my parents. "Or we'll break your teeth like we did last time!"

Oh please like that scared me.

"Joke's on you those were baby teeth so they'll grow back!"

"Oh yeah? What about permanent teeth." He said cracking his knuckles.

Oh boy I had to think fast. I took a handful of dirt and sand then threw it into their eyes.

"Ahh!" They shouted. "You little rat!"

"Hurry come with me!" I said taking the girl's hand. We ran from the two idiots before they could catch up then ducked into nearby barrels.

Works every time." I chuckled. They may have been stronger they were about as dumb as a brick.

"Thank you for stopping them." The girl said.

"No problem but you better avoid them because they'll hit girls." She didn't look a girl who belonged around here. She was clean and she wore nice clothes, not a single scratch to be seen.

"Seems like they hate me." She said.

"Just ignore them, their brains are the size of beans. So what's someone like you doing out here?"

"Well I wanted to see if I could make friends."

"Hate to break it to you but not a lot of people around here are friendly."

"Why is that?"

"Because we spend pretty much everyday working for the pain in the neck."

"Sartana?"

"You know her?"

"She's my mom."

"You're joking."

"No."

Sartana, the most evil woman God ever made had a child? That's ridiculous, the old snake doesn't love anyone not to mention this little girl didn't look like she could possibly be related to her.

"But she's...Ewww and you're not." I said.

"I think I'm adopted."

That explains it.

"So what's with the hair?" I asked.

"Don't ask."

"Hey Rivera boy!" That was my boss shouted. "Get over here now!"

"Coming." I said. "I'll be right back, wait here."

He went off on me for running out on the job.

"One more like this again and you're fired!" He shouted.

"Alright, alright, whatever." I said.

He knocked me to the ground.

"Show some respect you worm!"

I was used to him getting violent on me. He made me work my ass off, when I could finally leave that girl was long gone. I never saw her again but I do know one thing I pity her if she really is Sartana's daughter.

"Welcome home Manny." My mom greeted me. "Manny what happened to your face?"

"It's nothing Mom I got hit by a tool while working on the job."

"You sure?"

"Yes." He lied.

"Okay." She said unsure. "Listen I sold Senor Chapi today."

"Good riddance to that rat with wings." I said.

"Yes but the money for him isn't enough so tomorrow I want you to sell the donkey."

"But Mom we live off that donkey."

"I know dear but we need the money. Now you'll be in the market which means there will be plenty of rich people so promise me you won't steal anything."

"But Mom-"

"Manny I know you mean well but I don't want my son to grow up to be a liar and a thief. I want you to good and honest like your father was may God be with him wherever he is." She said. "So promise me you won't steal."

"I promise." I said. Now I knew I couldn't steal because I could never break a promise especially to my mother.

So the next morning I took our donkey to the market. There were farmers, merchants, and wealthy people. I hoped some farmer with more money than us would buy the donkey but apparently most of them already had a donkey. I was at that market for eight hours listening to stuck up rich people throw insults at me I swear if I hadn't promised Mom that I wouldn't steal I would've robbed them blind. When it got dark and started back home.

"Excuse me." I heard a voice say to me. It was coming from a crippled old man. "How much for the donkey?"

Thank God! A buyer!

"That depends, how much money you got?" I asked.

"I don't have any money but I do have something just as valuable."

"Gold?"

"No." He stuck his hand inside the pocket of his coat and pulled out five beans.

"Beans? You intend to pay me with beans? How old are you?"

"Young man I'm perfectly right in my head and I'll have you know that these are no ordinary beans. These are magic beans which will lead you to an incredible treasure."

"Uh-huh." I said no believing a word he said. "And if these so called magic beans can lead a person to treasure why don't you use them?"

"Because this treasure is guarded by a horrible giant and I'm so old and frail that I'd surely die if I fought him but a strong, young lad like you might actually get the treasure and come back alive."

"Wait a minute how can I be sure that these aren't just regular beans and that you're not some con man?"

"Watch this." He pulled out an egg and threw it on the ground. Instead of a yolk there was a gold coin.

"Whoa! Anymore of those eggs?"

"That was my last one. So interested in my beans?"

"Okay."

After I made the trade I returned home.

"Mom! Mom! Look what I got!" I said when I arrived.

"Is it something valuable?"

"Yes. I traded our donkey for something incredible. Magic beans."

"Beans? You traded our donkey for five beans?"

"No Mom they're magic. The man said that the beans would lead us to great treasure."

"Oh Manny I know you meant well but...I'm afraid that man conned you. There's no such thing as magic."

"But Mom-"

"No it's my fault. I should've known better than to send you there by yourself you don't know how clever and sneaky can be. I just hope we don't starve."

We didn't eat supper that night unless you call boiled water with lettuce supper. That night I woke up to get a drink of water but on my way to the kitchen I saw his mother sitting at the table crying.

"I don't know what to do Rodolfo." She sobbed. "Things just keep getting harder and harder. There's only enough food to feed one person and I fear that if I die from starvation there will be no one for Manny."

At once I forgot my thirst and went back upstairs to my room. I was a horrible son, I try to help Mom and make life easier for us but all I do is make things worse. Mom's better off without me I'm sure. So I packed up my things and prepared to sneak out the window only to have Zebra Donkey try to stop me.

"I'm sorry boy but I can't stay here anymore. Mom's better off without me, I only make things harder. Don't worry I'll be fine."

But he kept tugging on the cuffs of my pants. He finally agreed to let go when I decided to take him with me. Before leaving, I left behind the watch my father gave me and a goodbye note telling Mom to sell it.

Off I went into the cold, dark, western night. Some people are scared at night but me not so much. In fact I found it kind of peaceful and quiet. However my quiet evening of sneaking off was interrupted by the sounds of angry people.

"Someone stole my magic beans!" A voice shouted.

"Calm yourself sir!" Another said.

"Those beans are my property! And when I find the person who has them I'll have a bullet shot through their head so fast that it'll knock out some of his teeth!"

I gulped at that. Those beans were stolen? That crazy old man! He tricked me into being the fall guy for his theft. I wanted to return those beans and let them know I was innocent but I wasn't going to risk getting my brains blown out by that lunatic.

"Old man!" I heard the first guy shout. He had the old man who sold me the beans by his throat. "Where are my beans? What did you do with them?"

"I gave them to a boy." He croaked.

"What boy?"

"Manny Rivera."

How did he know my name? I never told him that. But I didn't have time to ponder it, I needed to get out of here. I stuck Zebra Donkey into my bag and ran like the devil was at my heels. I found an old abandoned shack to sleep in for night but unfortunately it started raining and the roof had leaks so it wasn't exactly a good night. The next morning I found a wanted poster on a tree with my name and picture.

WANTED: MANNY RIVERA, DEAD OR ALIVE, HUGE CRASH REWARD FOR CAPTURE.

Great I was a wanted man or kid if you wanna be technical. Aren't I lucky?


	3. Chapter 3

Frida pov.

This couldn't be happening! It couldn't be but to my grave misfortune it was. It was trapped inside a tower with no doors just a small room with one window, a bed, a bathtub, a water pump with a bucket, a chair, amirror, and a trunk. The trunk had a note on it that read: Gifts from Mama. In other words something to bribe me not to be angry with Sartana over this.

That aside I decided not to play into her little punishment and have spent the next six hours trying to bust my way out of this tower. I figured if I couldn't find a door I'd make one. So I grabbed a chair in the tower and began beating it against the wall hoping to bust a hole open or something. Unfortunately the chair was made of wood and the walls were made of solid concrete so you can imagine how that turned out.

"Stupid chair!" I shouted throwing it down in frustration. It hit the trunk and the trunk made a mewing sound. Curious I opened the trunk, inside there were several dresses, a pair of boots, some books, soap for my bath, shears, a brush, a bottle of goat's milk, and some ribbon. I saw something moving around and skirming under the dresses.

Pulling them away I saw that it was a kitten. It was brownish-gray with speckled spots. This was no ordinary cat, it was a wild cat, a hybrid one. I recognized it's features from one of my old books. He was a bobcat lynx, a baby bobcat lynx. Poor little thing, he must've accidentally fallen into the trunk when she was filling it up.

"Hello there." He hissed at me and tried to scratch me with his little paws. I didn't blame him, poor fella must've been scared to death. I took the bucket from the water pump and poured some of the goat's milk in it. I put the bucket in the trunk, he carefully sniffed it, then began drinking it. A slowly put hand on his head and stroked his ears gently. He purred and nuzzled my hand.

"You're such a good boy." I said. Well I had always wanted a pet, wish granted. When he finished his drink I picked him up and cradled him. He didn't resist he just purred.

"Frida!" I heard a familiar cackling voice call.

I carefully put my new friend down and went to the window. Looking down I saw Sartana standing at the bottom of the ground holding a basket of something.

"What do you want?!" I called angrily.

"I brought you some food."

"I don't want anything from you!"

"Now Frida it's been six hours, surely you must be starving."

"I'm not hungry! And even if I was how would you bring me food?"

"Throw down your hair and I'll climb up."

"Throw down my what?! You must be joking!" But she wasn't. It was then I finally noticed how much longer my hair had become. It was about as long as fifty feet or more. "What did you do to my hair?!"

"I made it long enough so that I could climb it. Now let down your hair!"

"No! Not until you let me out of here!"

"Alright then starve."

She left, she told me to let down my hair again the next day but I refused. Finally after three days of resistance my hunger got the better of me and I threw down my hair. She gripped it hard and pulled on it as she climbed up.

"Ow! That hurts!" I shrieked.

"Oh don't be so sensitive!" She said. "Now I brought you some dinner."

She handed me a basket of bread, cheese, fish, and an apple.

"When are you going to let me out of here?" I asked her.

"When I say so." She said.

"You can't just keep here. I'm not some bird you can lock away from the world."

"But you are." She corrected. "Your my pretty blue bird who shall spend her days singing in a gilded cage until you're ready to behave like a good little girl."

"You mean ready to be your obedient slave."

"Tomato, tamato." She said. "I'll visit you everyday to give you food but don't think for a single minute that you can escape or that someone will come for you because there's not a single soul for miles around and this tower has no exit except for the window but I doubt you'd survive the drop."

She took hold of my hair, gripped it as hard as possible, and climbed down. Wretched old hag, I can't believe I thought she was my mother for twelve years. So everyday she came by to bring me food and always gave her the silent treatment. Once she was gone I began planning my escape. When busting a hole in the wall didn't work I tried to tunnel my way out but I couldn't break through the floor. I thought I could make a rope out of my dresses but it wasn't long enough. I tried to build a glider out of the chair and a blanket from my bed but it couldn't fit out the window. When all else failed I tried calling for help. Pathetic I know but what choice did I have? But just as Sartana had said no one would come.

When I wasn't trying to escape I was reading my books or playing with Sky, my name for my bobcat lynx. I named him that because he always like to sit by my window and gaze at the sky. Something we both did everyday. Sometimes when things would get really bad I'd sing. Sometimes it would be my mother's song other times it would be songs I made up. I also found away to control my hair, I kept it braided into pigtails which I would sometimes use for my own amusement. I skipped rope with it, learned to lasso with it, heck I even trained myself to use it as a whip. My books and left over food served as targets for practice.

As for Sky, he was a calm pet not very feral probably because he raised in captivity like I was but the difference between me and Sartana was if I could let Sky go I would. But he didn't seem to mind staying with me, in fact I'm glad he was here. I probably would've died from loneliness and boredom had he never come here but I still felt sad that he couldn't be freed and run and hunt like other wild cats. I never told Sartana about him because she hates cats so I kept him hidden during her visits, I remember when I was little back when I lived in her mansion I kept an alley who had sneaked into the garden. When Sartana found him she threw him out. I can't imagine what would happen to sky if she found him.

Time went by slow and long, Sky grew but no bigger than an average house cat thank God. As for me I was now eighteen years old, I wasn't little girl anymore but a young woman who was determined to find away out of here. I hoped my real mother was alright wherever she was and my father and my sisters. It wasn't fair of her to take me away like that.

"Frida let down your hair!" Sartana hissed. I sighed and threw down my briads, as usual she climbed up and pulling as hard as she could. My entire scalp was basically sore from how hard she pulled my hair. Lord was she trying to yank out all my hair?

"Frida I don't like this rebellious behavior."

"Tuff pity." I mumbled. "I don't like being locked up for six years."

"I did this for your own good!"

"Oh yeah and it's done me a world of good!" I said sarcastically. "I just love being locked up here with no one to talk to except the birds!"

"Don't get snippy with me young lady!"

"I can get snippy with you all I want!"

"Frida why can't you just be a good girl and listen to me. We could be a family again."

"We were never a family! You never showed me any love or affection you just kept in a fancy cage! I bet my real mother wouldn't have locked me up!"

"That woman may have given birth to you but she didn't raise you!"

"And who's fault is that?"

"Frida we are a lot alike. We're both strong women who are unappreciated by their families. My parents didn't want me either."

"We are nothing alike! And you're acting like my parents gave me to you! You took me away! Where are they anyway? My real family! The one you stole me from!"

"I had your father, mother, and sisters relocated."

"Where?"

"Like I'd tell you. You're trying my patience child! If you push me too far I may do something I regret!"

"I don't care! What you do! Just get out of here! Leave me alone!"

"Very well. But let's see how you do without for two weeks you ungrateful girl."

She then sized my hair and climbed out. My decision was made, I needed to get out of here now, but I wasn't sure what to do. I had tried nearly everything. No, not everything. I noticed there was a hook at the tower roof which gave me an idea. Maybe if I could just attach my hair to the hook I could climb down. But I've never climbed my hair before so I was going to need to practice. For the next few days I practiced climbing my hair in and out the tower. Once I had it nailed I knew freedom was in my grasp but I was gonna have to prepare myself.

For one thing one could not escape in a dress so I made some adjustments to my wardrobe. Using the shears and a needle I swiped from Sartana's pocket I took a blue dress from the trunk, cut it up, and made it into a simple blouse. To add to the outfit I chose some gray pants I asked Sartana to bring me a month ago and the boots she gave me. Next I took another dress and made into a satchel to carry important things and Sky. I was ready and I was so happy I sang.

 _"Without a word I'll leave in the night,_

 _I'll be free as a bird, away from my plight._

 _Thank the lord and heaven above,_

 _I'll be free and with the one I love_

 _Who's missing me."_

I changed into my outfit and began to pack up my satchel but stopped when I heard a scratchy voice call.

"Frida let down your hair!"

"Sartana?" I thought she wasn't coming back for weeks and she didn't sound like herself. "Sartana is that you?"

"Yes!" The voice said.

"I thought you wouldn't be back for two weeks."

"Changed my mind! Now I'm in a hurry so let me up!"

"You don't sound like yourself!"

"I have cold! Now let me up! Hurry! Hurry!"

"Okay! Miss bossy!"

I hid my satchel with Sky then threw down my braids. Odd, Sartana's touch was different this time. She didn't grip as hard in fact it was soft and she didn't pull this time. She must be sick because she's never been this gentle with me. I looked over my window to see why she was being so soft and gentle only to find that on the other end of my hair wasn't Sartana. It was a man! Oh my God! A man!

Who was he? What was he doing here? How did he find me? What did he want? I was panic. I had to think, I had to run around and think. What if he's a robber or a murder? Thinking fast I grabbed one of my books, the thick one with the hard cover and I waited for him. As soon as he entered my tower...THUMP! I hit him right over his head. He lost consciousness and fell forward onto my floor.

I poked him a few times to see if he was responsive. He was out cold, I turned him over and looked for a pulse to make sure that I didn't kill him. He was alive but he had have one nasty bump on his head. He wore a white shirt, brown pants, boots, and a brown leather jacket, and a cowboy hat. I took it off, he was young probably no older than I was. He had dark hair, freckles, and a scar over his left eye. He looked familiar but I couldn't put my finger on where I had seen him before. I'd be lying if I said wasn't kind of cute but that was beside the point. He was stranger in my home or should I say prison and when he woke up I'd have a few questions for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Manny pov.

You can probably guess after the whole bean incident my life pretty much went downhill. I was either hunted by the law or by greedy thugs who wanted to turn me in for the reward money. You'd think to be the most wanted man in Miracle City you'd have to kill someone but nope all you had to do was steal magic beans or in my case get tricked into buying stolen magic beans. I was pretty much on the run wherever I went and due to being a wanted man no one would hire me for a job so I had to resort to stealing. I'm not proud of it but hey how else am I gonna live? Zebra Donkey who I now call Stripes is pretty much my only friend. During the day we move from one area to the next taking what we need and during the night we find some place to rest and hide. Sometimes it was easy and sometimes it was hard, it all depended on where we went and who we ran into. But no matter what we did or where we went I always thought about Mom and Dad. I hope they were alright wherever they were.

Years went by and things never changed except for my physical body and appearance, I had become devilishly handsome and a lady killer from time to time. I also managed to swipe a few pistols and bullets which I taught myself to use. By the time I was eighteen I had learned how to take out seven men with one bullet, a gift I inherited from my old man. Mom always said he could do just about anything with a gun and I guess so could I. Yep it was just me and Stripes living by ourselves with no one to worry about. Or at least it was until I made a huge goof. It started one day when I was running from some bounty hunters, Stripes had grown to the point of where I could ride him so I didn't need a horse and him being half zebra allowed him to run faster than their horses. I managed to ditch them by going into the woods.

Once I gave them the slip I found an area some where to set up camp for the night. I left Stripes to rest while I searched for firewood. So far all I could find were meager sticks so I went deeper into the woods to search until I heard something. It was a voice, it was very faint but I could tell it was singing and it was echoing all through that part of woods. Curious I went to investigate, as I got closer to the source I could hear the singing better. It was a woman's voice singing a sad song.

 _"My dearest one, my darling dear I know that you must go._

 _So while you are away my love, my pain will only grow._

 _My tears will fall and cries shall break each day while we're apart,_

 _but the thought of you and your return is safe inside my heart._

 _I'll wait for months, I'll wait for years, I'll wait for eternity._

 _Because I know one day my love you will return to me."_

I thought it was very lovely, it kind of reminded me of how my mother used to sing to me when I was little. Soon I discovered the singing was coming from a tower. Wanting to know who the singer was I searched for a way in but there were no doors and no way in except for a window that was fifty feet high. Now why on earth would someone want live in a fifty foot tower with no doors in the middle of nowhere? I was about to call up to the singing woman and ask her what she was doing up there when I heard grumbling.

"I don't get why that child doesn't obey me!" An old voice said. I knew that voice, it was Sartana. I quickly climbed up a tree and hid from her. She approached the tower and called out in that terrible voice of hers. "Frida! Let down your hair!"

I watched as two long blue braids were thrown out the window and she began climbing it. She was climbing hair! Oh God how much rum did I drink yesterday? No I wasn't drunk and I wasn't imaging things but there was no way I was staying here long enough for that crazy hag to find me and put some crazy voodoo hex on me. So left and had no intention of ever going back. I finally found some suitable firewood and I even managed to catch some fish for dinner. I decided to stick around that area for awhile, take a break from all the running and relax. Stripes and I enjoyed that first week of peace and quiet but in the words of my late grandfather "All good things must come to an end."

"There he is!" It was El Oso and his bounty hunters. They found me one early morning just as the sun had started to come up. "After him man!"

I hopped on Stripes and took off but they were gaining on us. I pulled my pistol from my pocket and shot at a tree branch causing it to fall and block their way for awhile. Then I got off of Stripes and told him to go off in another direction and that when I was ready to meet with him again I'd whistle. He went left and I went right. I ran as fast as I could but I could still hear El Oso and his men on my feet. I needed a place to hide but where? Then I caught hold of a familiar singing.

 _"Without a word I'll leave in the night,_

 _I'll be free as a bird, away from my plight._

 _Thank the lord and heaven above,_

 _I'll be free and with the one I love_

 _Who's missing me."_

That tower, perfect! Following the singing I found the tower. Now what did Sartana say? A name and then let down your hair. But what was that girl's name? Felicia? Francesca? Freya? Frida? Frida! Bingo that was it! I coughed and adjusted my voice to sound like an old woman.

"Frida let down your hair!" I called in a scratchy voice.

"Sartana?" She questioned. "Sartana is that you?"

"Yes!" I said.

"I thought you wouldn't be back for two weeks."

"Changed my mind! Now I'm in a hurry so let me up!"

"You don't sound like yourself!"

Crap she's on to me!

"I have a cold! Now let me up! Hurry! Hurry!" I could almost feel El Oso's big fist grabbing my throat.

"Okay! Miss bossy!" She said.

She threw down her briads, I carefully grabbed them, and climbed up. This was so weird but now was not the time to ponder about this because I needed a hiding spot now. Thank goodness I was such a good climber other wise I probably would've slid down those braids and landed on my butt. Once I reached the window I swung my leg over then THUMP! Something hit me over the head and that was the last thing I remembered before blacking out. When I woke up I was on the floor by myself or so it seemed. I knew I wasn't alone.

"Who's there?" I said pulling out my pistol. "I'm warning you I'll shoot!"

Then out no where I blue braid whipped my hand and lassoed my pistol right out of my hand. Then another lassoed itself around my other hand which was in a fist and made me punch myself in the face repeatedly. The first braid then slingshot a plate at my face followed by a bar of soap and a book. Finally both braids were lassoed around my boots and I was strung up by ankles. As I hung there I struggled as hard as I could but I couldn't get loose. I spotted a pair of shears on a table and struggled to reach them, when I finally caught them I tried to use to cut myself down but when I cut them nothing happened.

"I'm afraid that's pointless." A voice said.

"What the- Who's there?"

"I'll be the one asking the questions here. Now who are you and why have you come to my tower?"

"Um that's...None of your business."

"Alright then I'll just leave you there to hang and when Sartana comes back and finds you here well...Let's just say she'll have a nice, fat, new, toad to eat."

Was she serious or bluffing? I couldn't take the risk so I decided to come clean.

"Alright my name is Manny Rivera and I came here because I needed a place to hide."

"From who?"

"Sorry not saying."

"Suit yourself, enjoy life as a toad."

"Wait! I'm hiding from bounty hunters. I'm a wanted man but only for buying beans."

"Is that right?"

"Okay and for maybe stealing a few pistols, goats, and money but I've never hurt anyone."

"And how did you find me?"

This girl was really getting on my nerves.

"Well I heard lovely singing and I followed it. Now can you let me down? I think almost all the blood in my body is rushing to my head!"

"You think my singing is lovely?"

Stepping out from the shadows was the person who owned all this hair. It was a woman, about the same age I was. She had big blue eyes which I thought were kind of pretty and I'd be lying if I said I didn't find her body attractive. She was a petite thing but she boy did she have curves.

"You didn't answer me." She said.

"What?" I asked snapping out of my thoughts.

"I said you thought my singing was lovely."

"Oh! Well I...I." I was blushing now. "Um...Yes but I've heard lots of singing and...And could you please get me down from here! I'm getting dizzy!'

She pulled her braids and I dropped to the floor.

"So I'm guessing you already know my name since you called it out?" She guessed.

"Yes." I said rubbing my head, now becoming aware of the bump on it. "Dear lord my head hurts. What the heck did you hit me with?"

"A book."

"Well what did you do that for?"

"You were a stranger I didn't know if you were dangerous or not."

"Good point. Alright so um so how do I get down from here?"

"The same you got up. Climb down my hair."

"Really? No questions? Or anything else?"

"No I"m leaving anyway so you're free to go."

"I'm confused don't you live here?"

"Not anymore. I'm getting out of here."

"Hold on are you a criminal or something?"

"Do I look like a criminal to you?"

"No but to be fair my grandfather always said the most evil people were the ones who didn't look evil."

"Look I'm not a criminal okay? I was locked away in here six years ago by my so called mother Sartana because I tried to run away."

"Oh...Tough break I- Whoa! Whoa! Time out Sartana is your mother?!"

"Not exactly but she did raise me."

"Wait a minute long blue hair, Sartana's daughter. It's you!"

"Huh?"

"Oh I don't know if you remember me but we met a long time ago."

"How long?"

"I don't know maybe five or six years ago. I was the boy, the dirty poor boy who threw mud at the two guys pulling on your hair."

"That was you?"

"Yep!"

"Huh, you've gotten taller."

"So have you."

"Funny I thought I'd never seen you again."

"Same so this is what happened to you. Locked up by your mom harsh."

"She's not my mother!"

"But you said-"

"I said she raised me! The truth of the matter is she took me from my parents when I was just a baby and she wasn't exactly the best foster mother in the world if you know what I mean."

"Well that explains why you're trying to escape but quick question if you're hair is the only way out of here why don't you just cut it off and make it into a rope?"

She grabbed a pair of shears off her table clapped them on to her hair and to my amazement they shattered into a million pieces.

"That's why." She said. "She put on spell on my hair. I can't cut it off only she can."

"What a drag, so how are you going to get out of here?"

"There are other ways of using my hair to escape."

She fascinated the other end of her braid to a hook attached to the tower rooftop and tugged on it to see if it was strong and tight. She then grabbed a satchel and went to the window.

"Well are you coming?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you wanna get out of here or not?"

"Yeah but how?"

"Simple climb with me."

"climb with you? How the heck am I gonna pull that off?"

"Easy just hold on the my waist and leave the rest to me."

"Um...No."

"Okay then but this is the only way out."

She climbed onto the edge of the window, it looked like she was going to jump. I didn't trust this crazy chick for a minute but it's not like I had any other options at the moment.

"Wait! I'm coming." I climbed onto the window edge and put my arms tightly around her waist.

"Hey! Now don't get any ideas." She warned me.

"Oh please I maybe a lady killer but I'm also a gentleman."

"Uh-huh that's what they all say, Sartana told me a lot of crazy things growing up and if there was one thing she told me that I actually believed it was never trust men."

She had a point there.

"Okay are you ready?" She asked me.

"Quick question you've done this before right?"

"Not exactly."

"What?!"

"Don't worry I'm completely prepared. Just hold on tight and don't look down."

She then jumped off the edge taking me with her and began climbing down the wall. She told me not to look down but how can I not when I'm facing downward? I tightened my grip on her waist nervously.

"Hey take it easy on the gripping." She said.

"Sorry but I'm not used to dangling downward fifty feet from the ground!"

"Will you stop whining I'm the one doing all the work here and for the record you're a lot heavier than you look."

Suddenly her foot slipped and we began to fall, we both screamed and my grip on her waist slipped. This was it! End of the line for me! Goodbye Mom! Goodbye Dad! I pray I'll make it to heaven! But then Frida grabbed my hand and pulled me to her waist which I clutched tightly, she then pulled her braid and the next thing I knew we were swinging toward the ground.

"Whoo-hoo!" She cried. "Isn't this fun?!"

Fun? This girl was nuts.

"Let me off! Let me off! Let me off!" I screamed. "Oh God I'm gonna puke!"

Finally we landed and we did I dropped to the ground, shaking like a leaf.

"Wow! That was awesome!" She said.

"Are you insane?! You could've killed us!"

"Calm down!" She said.

"No! You are crazy woman! Crazy! Nuts! Cuckoo-cuckoo! A straight up wingnut!" I panicked. "I could've died! Oh God what if I am dead? And this is just a hallucination before I enter heaven? Do you see a bright a light? Grandpapi is that you?"

SLAP!

"Are you okay?" She asked after slapping some sense into me.

"Yes. Thanks I needed that."


End file.
